Australia's Political System

Australia is a federation made up of six states and two territories, all governed under a single Constitution. The federal government creates and enforces national laws, while state and territory governments focus on local issues specific to their regions. Here’s how the system works and why it’s important to understand.

Federal Government

Australia’s political system is a parliamentary democracy. The federal parliament is responsible for making national laws on issues like trade, taxation, and immigration. It has two houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate. For a proposed law (or bill) to become legislation, it must be approved by both houses.

House of representatives

The lower house of parliament is made up of 151 elected members who represent people in the 151 electorates in Australia. The number of electorates in each state is proportional to the state’s population. Voters elect members at a general election held approximately every three years. The party that has 76 members or more in the house of representatives makes the government. Sometimes they can form a coalition of parties to make up the required numbers, like the current Liberal-National government - this is known as a minority government. The House proposes most bills to become legislation.

The House of Representatives, also known as the lower house, currently has 151 members. Redistributions of federal electoral divisions means that the House of Representatives will return to having 150 members after the upcoming federal election. Each member represents an electorate, and the number of electorates in a state is proportional to its population. General elections are held every three years, giving voters the chance to elect representatives for their local areas.

The party (or coalition of parties) with at least 76 members in the House of Representatives forms the government. Most bills are introduced and debated in this house before moving to the Senate for further review.

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The Senate

The Senate, or upper house, represents the states and territories equally, with 76 senators in total. Each state elects 12 senators, while the two territories elect two senators each, regardless of population size. State senators serve six-year terms, while territory senators serve the same term as House members.

The Senate reviews and votes on all legislation passed by the House of Representatives. This ensures that laws are carefully examined and provides a check on the lower house before they are finalised.

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State and territory governments

Each of Australia’s six states and two territories has its own government. Most states have a parliamentary structure similar to the federal government, with both an upper and lower house responsible for passing laws. However, Queensland and the two territories operate with only a single house.

State and territory governments handle areas not covered by federal law, such as:

• Public health
• Education
• Transport infrastructure

Their laws are tailored to meet the specific needs of their regions, complementing the work of the federal government.

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Local governments

Local governments, often called councils, are responsible for community-level services and infrastructure. These include waste management, local roads, parks, libraries, and urban planning.

Councils are funded through rates, grants, and other charges, and they play a critical role in delivering services that directly impact daily life.